upgraded August 5, 2008

The Historical Account Of Joseph Referenced In Genesis Chapters 30 Through 50 Is A Fore-glimpse Of Jesus Christ, And His Relationship With His Jewish Brothers

Genesis 37 (NIV) Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." 8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"

When Joseph came to power in Egypt, Genesis 46:29 reflects that Jacob never did bow down to Joseph. As Joseph was a fore glimpse of Jesus Christ (the Lord God, Adonai Elohiym), Genesis 37:9-10 printed above is a spiritual reference to Jacob bowing down to Jesus. Because Genesis 37:9-10, as relates to Jacob; never occurred in the physical realm; we must look to the spiritual realm for the fulfillment of the dream.

11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. 12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them." "Very well," he replied. 14 So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" 16 He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?" 17 "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. 20 "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. 22 "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe--the richly ornamented robe he was wearing-- 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Joseph was rejected by his own brothers, his own flesh and blood, the Children of Israel, and given to the Gentiles. Jesus was rejected by His own brothers, His own flesh and blood, the Children of Israel, and given to the Gentiles.

Joseph was sold into Egypt which represents SIN, for "20 shekels of silver." Jesus was sold into SIN for our transgressions, for "30 pieces of silver." (Matthew 26:15, 27:3 NIV)

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?" 31 Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

The sacrifice of Jesus as a sin offering is here portended in the slaughter of a goat. After coming out of Egypt, God directed that two goats be brought into the Temple on the Day of Atonement referenced in Leviticus chapter 16. One goat was to be slaughtered as a sin offering. The sins of Israel would be confessed over the other goat, (scapegoat) who would then carry them off to a solitary place (Egypt).

In Revelation 19:11-16, Jesus returns at His Second Coming in a robe dipped in blood.

Revelation 19:11-13 (NIV) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

32 They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe." 33 He recognized it and said, "It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces." 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son." So his father wept for him.

The Children of Israel took Joseph's robe from him and dipped it in blood.  The Children of Israel took Jesus' robe from Him, and figuratively dipped it in Jesus' blood. 

After viewing Joseph's robe, Jacob thought that Joseph was dead. The Children of Israel still consider that Jesus is dead.

After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams, Joseph was made second in command in Egypt.

Genesis 41:40 (NIV) You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Matthew 28:18 (NIV)  Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Only with respect to the throne is Jesus (the Lord God, Adonai Elohiym) second in command to God the Father (Elohiym).

1 Corinthians 15:27 (NIV) For he "has put everything under his feet.  Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Both Joseph and Jesus were thirty years old when they began their ministry:

Genesis 41:46a (NIV) Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Luke 3:23a (NIV) Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

The Children of Israel were held in custody for three days, and then released. Jesus was held three days in death, and then was released.

Genesis 42:17 (NIV) And he put them all in custody for three days.

Mark 8:31 (NIV) He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

The Children of Israel held themselves responsible for the blood of Joseph.

Genesis 42:21-22 (NIV) They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." 22 Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood."

The Children of Israel have been held responsible for the Blood of Jesus Christ. The Jewish people have paid a very high price for the words and actions of their forefathers.

Matthew 27:25 (NIV) All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"

Psalms 79:1-8 (NIV) A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. 2 They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth. 3 They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. 4 We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. 5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name; 7 for they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his homeland. 8 Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.

Joel 3:20-21 (NIV) Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon."  The Lord dwells in Zion!

The Jewish race has been, and will be the most persecuted group of people in the world. In Luke 11:48-51 printed below, and Matthew 23:33-36, the Greek word "genea" has been incorrectly translated into the word "generation." It is correctly translated "nation." All of the Blood did not fall on that generation. History has proven that it fell on the Jewish race. It is probable that the translators were attempting to avoid being labeled racists, and were more interested in being "politically correct," than in being biblically and historically honest.

Luke 11:48-51 (NIV) So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

G1074. genea, ghen-eh-ah'; from (a presumed der. of) G1085; a generation; by impl. an age (the period or the persons):--age, generation, nation, time.

G1085. genos, ghen'-os; from G1096; "kin" (abstr. or concr., lit. or fig., indiv. or coll.):--born, country (-man), diversity, generation, kind (-red), nation, offspring, stock.

Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Edition 3

Isaiah foresaw the exact situation that occurred to the Jewish people under Nazi Germany:

Isaiah 3:18-24 (NIV) In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings and bracelets and veils, 20 the headdresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings, 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls. 24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding.

Historians have estimated that there were six million Jews alive at the time of Christ's crucifixion.  The Jews at the time of Christ’s crucifixion requested that the punishment for the death of Jesus be placed on them and their children:

Matthew 27:25 (NIV)  All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"

The Spirit of God is not verbose.  The Spirit of God directed Matthew to record a historical account reflecting the Jewish request "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" for a very specific reason.  The Jewish request is a portent.  I do not believe that the Jews completely understood the judicial request that they were making.  They did not ask for the substitution sacrifice of bulls, sheep, goats, doves or young pigeons as the Levitical law allowed.  They did not ask that Jesus Christ bear the punishment for their sins.  The Jews did not ask for mercy, they asked for responsibility.  They asked that the punishment for the death of Jesus Christ be born by themselves and their children.  They asked for justice.  In requesting justice, I am certain that the Jews did not realize that they were setting a cause in motion that would ultimately effect approximately six million of their descendants including men, women, and children being murdered at the hands of Adolph Hitler.  

Deuteronomy 19:16-21 (NIV)  If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time.  The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you.  The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.  Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

In view of the perfect order of God, I am sure that exactly one Jewish man, woman and child died at the hands of Adolph Hitler directly corresponding to one Jewish man, woman and child who was alive at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  As in the account of Pharaoh, recorded in the Book of Exodus, God waited for God's time in when His judgment was carried out.

Did God direct Adolph Hitler to kill six million Jews?  No.  Hitler wanted to kill every Jew on the face of the earth.  The Spirit of God restricted Hitler and his organization from the wickedness that their evil hearts desired, and only allowed them to effect the justice that the Jews had requested at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

The Jews are carrying a bloodguilt for the Crucifixion of God.

Joel 3:20-21 (NIV) Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. 21 Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon." The Lord dwells in Zion!

The Jews will continue to be horribly persecuted until they request the mercy of God in the form of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Luke 13:34-35 (NIV) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Currently, the Jews are not trading land for peace, as they are giving up land, but they are not getting peace.  The Jews are effecting the production of terrorism, by accepting the offer for the reduction of terrorism as barter for peace.  If the Muslim's are able to buy Jewish land with a promise for the reduction of terrorism, the Muslim's will produce an infinite supply of terrorism with which to barter.  Muslim terrorism will continue until the last square inch of Israeli land has been purchased, and Israel ceases to exist.

While the persecution of the Jews is the Justice that they requested, Woe, Woe, Woe, to those who persecute the Jews.

The Children of Israel would not be allowed into Joseph's presence unless his brother and their brother (Benjamin) was with them.

Genesis 43:3-5 (NIV) But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'"

Genesis 44:23-26 (NIV) But you told your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.' 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said. 25 "Then our father said, 'Go back and buy a little more food.' 26 But we said, 'We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

The Children of Israel will not be allowed into God's presence unless Joseph's brother and the Children of Israel's brother Jesus is with them.

Luke 13:34-35 (NIV) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

After the uniting of Joseph and all of his brothers, they had a feast.

Genesis 43:16 (NIV) When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon."

After the uniting of Jesus and all of His brothers, there will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:6-9 (NIV) Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

The Children of Israel did not recognize Joseph on the FIRST trip to Egypt, but he recognized them.

Genesis 42:8 (NIV) Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

The Children of Israel did not recognize Jesus as the Lord God, Adonai Elohiym at His FIRST Coming, but He recognized them.

Luke 19:41-44 (NIV) As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

At the Children of Israel's second trip into Egypt, Joseph revealed himself to them.

Genesis 45:1-4 (NIV) Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

Prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Jesus will be revealed to the Children of Israel as the Lord God. The Jews have been "without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol," for about two thousand years, which is almost the exact time since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Hosea 3:4-5 (NIV) For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol. 5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.

From mid-Tribulation the Jewish people will turn back to Jesus Christ. The hardening of the Jewish hearts will be over.

Romans 11:25 (NIV) I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

Romans 11:23-24 (NIV) And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

The last 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation will be the latter rains for the Jews. God will restore the Jews after their two thousand year separation, and the Jews will live in the presence of God for the One Thousand Year Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem.

Psalms 79:8 (NIV) Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.

Jeremiah 50:4-5 (NIV) "In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

Deuteronomy 4:27-31 (NIV) The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. 28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. 29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Hosea 6:1-11 (NIV) "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." 4 "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. 5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. 6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 Like Adam, they have broken the covenant--they were unfaithful to me there. 8 Gilead is a city of wicked men, stained with footprints of blood. 9 As marauders lie in ambush for a man, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, committing shameful crimes. 10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel. There Ephraim is given to prostitution and Israel is defiled. 11 "Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed.

Hosea 6:2 referenced above again reveals the concept whereby "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."  The "two days" represent the two thousand years of Jewish estrangement from God that have elapsed since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  The "third day" represents the restoration of the Jewish People to God's presence after they "acknowledge the Lord" as their God immediately prior to the One Thousand Year Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem :

2 Peter 3:8 (NIV) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

Psalm 90:4 (NIV) For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

Joseph's brothers were shepherds.

Genesis 46:32 (NIV) The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.'

Genesis 47:3 (NIV) Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is your occupation?" "Your servants are shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh, "just as our fathers were."

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Psalm 80:1 (NIV) Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth...

Matthew 2:6 (NIV) "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

John 10:11 (NIV) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Psalms 23 (NIV) A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Genesis 48:15 (NIV) Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

Israel was called to shepherd, or bring God to the world.

Exodus 19:5-6 (NIV) Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

Instead of being shepherds to the world, the Children of Israel crucified the Lamb of God (the Lord God, Adonai Elohiym).

In order for the False Prophet to bring Judaism, Christianity, and Islam together, there has been and will continue to be an attempt to soften the Jewish responsibility for the death of Jesus Christ.

Egypt, symbolizing the world, detests shepherds, or those that bring God to the world.

Genesis 46:34 (NIV) 'Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians."

Genesis 43:32c (NIV) Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians.

The False Prophet will blend all of Organized Religion into one world religion, with a common God. At mid-Tribulation, the Antichrist will become that common god. The Jewish people have never accepted the real Christ as God. They will never accept the Antichrist as God. Three and one-half years after the "covenant" that allows re-establishment of daily sacrifice they will reject the Antichrist as God. The Antichrist will then turn on the Jewish people. "The woman" referenced in Revelation 12 is Israel. One half of the Jewish people will flee from Jerusalem to Jordan (Edom, Moab, Ammon) at the caves of Petra which were formerly occupied by the Edomites (descendants of Esau) and Nabateans (descendants of Ishmael).

Daniel 11:41 (NIV) He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.

Revelation 12:6 (NIV) The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

Revelation 12:14 (NIV) The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.

Matthew 24:15-22 (NIV) "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Mark 13:14-19 (NIV) "When you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong--let the reader understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now--and never to be equaled again.

Luke 21:20-23 (NIV) "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.

 

Zechariah 14:1-5 (NIV) A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Zechariah 14:1-5 referenced above warrants close scrutiny at this point for clarification.  There are places in the scripture where a time gap occurs. One of them referenced by Jesus is Luke 4:18-20.

Luke 4:18-20 (NIV) "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,

Jesus is reading the passage from Isaiah 61:1-2.

Isaiah 61:1-2 (NIV) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

Note in Luke 4:18-20 printed above, that Jesus stops reading the passage from Isaiah 61:1-2 printed above, in mid sentence. The reason that Jesus does not continue reading the passage in Isaiah 61:1-2 is that there is a 2,000 year time gap in that sentence. When Jesus reads the passage in Isaiah 61:1-2, it is the year of the Lord's favor. "The day of vengeance of our God" does not come for 2,000 years until Jesus' Second Coming.

There is another time gap in Scripture between Daniel 11:35, and Daniel 11:36. Daniel Chapter 11 written around 600 B.C. so closely describes the wars of the Egyptian and Syrian Kings around 323 to 146 B.C., that the devil has alleged that the book of  Daniel was written after these wars occur. This particular passage is closely detailing the wars of the "King of the South" and the "King of the North." Without notice or transition, at Daniel 11:36, we have a 2300 year time gap. We are looking at another king. He is neither the "King of the South," nor the "King of the North," because in Daniel 11:40 this king is at war with the "King of the South" and the "King of the North." The king referenced in Daniel 11:36 to 11:45 is the Antichrist.

There is also a time gap in mid-sentence of Zechariah 14:5 printed above.

Zechariah 14:3 printed above references the wrath of God being poured out on the sinners after mid-Tribulation as per all other Scriptures.

Zechariah 14:4 printed above can only be taken figuratively for this reason:

We know that Jesus could have called at least twelve thousand angels while He was on earth.

Matthew 26:53 (NIV) Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

We know that one angel on one given night destroyed 185,000 men. (I am sure that this angel was not overworked with the task.)

2 Kings 19:35 (NIV) That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning--there were all the dead bodies!

Simply and mathematically calculated, we know that if Jesus came with His angels (according to Matthew 26:53 printed above, He has at least 12,000) without any of Jesus' own omnipotent power, the angels alone would have the ability to destroy at least 2 billion, 220 million people in one night.

Or you could defense the position because of Revelation 5:11 that Jesus has ten thousand times ten thousand angels.

Revelation 5:11 (NIV) then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.

Ten thousand times ten thousand is one hundred million angels. One hundred million angels with the ability (2 Kings 19:35 printed above) to kill 185,000 people each would total 18 trillion, 500 billion people destroyed in one night without the power of the Omnipotent Creator God of all the Universe. If that kind of firepower was turned loose at that time on the sinners, why would the Body of Christ need to flee? If you consider that there now exists only 6 billion people, and we are told that only an additional 6 billion have ever existed before now, you can quickly see the overkill absurdity of considering that the Body of Christ need to flee from anything or anyone. Known angelic firepower put into an equation and calculated mathematically is enough to kill in less than 20 seconds, every human who now exists or has ever existed since time began.

Romans 8:31b (NIV) If God is for us, who can be against us?

That is enough firepower to destroy everyone in the world before the members of the Body of Christ could get out of their homes. (Do not think that the members of the Body of Christ need to flee to avoid being hurt by "friendly fire." Consider that in Egypt, "the death angel" killed very discriminately the "first born" only from every household that was not covered by the blood.)

Exodus 12:29-30 (NIV) At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

Zechariah 14:4 printed above can only be a figurative touching of Jesus' foot to the Mount of Olives, and references an earthquake after the "abomination that causes desolation" that will aid the Jewish people in escaping to Petra. There is a three and one half year time gap between the Jewish flight, and when the Lord comes. This truth brings us into full compliance with the rest of God's Word.

The flight that is referenced in Zechariah 14:5 is the same flight that is referenced in Matthew 24:20:

Zechariah 14:5 (NIV) You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Matthew 24:15-22 (NIV) "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

When the Jewish people arrive in Petra (Edom, Moab, Ammon), the devil through the Antichrist will be unable to destroy the Jewish people because the place has been prepared by God, and is militarily impenetrable.

Revelation 12:6 (NIV) The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

Revelation 12:14 (NIV) The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.

The Antichrist will then attempt unsuccessfully to drown the Jewish people by diverting the Euphrates River into the caves in Edom, Moab, and Ammon (Jordan). The great earthquake of Zechariah 14:4 printed above will change the topography of the middle east to make this diversion possible.

Revelation 12:15-16 (NIV) Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

Revelation 16:12-14 (NIV) The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

Various Pictures of Petra Jordan

The Antichrist will control Jerusalem for 3 1/2 years. The present negotiating, political maneuvering and positioning of world and religious leaders will culminate in the loss of Jerusalem to Israel.  Jerusalem is one of Israel's eastern-most cities if you do not consider the West Bank which is now under the Palestinian Authority.  The fact that the Jews will flee to the east from Jerusalem reveals that there will be no safe haven for the Jews in the North, South, or West.  Israel will have fallen.

Zechariah 14:1-2 (NIV) A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

Luke 21:24 (NIV) They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Psalms 79:1-12 (NIV) A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. 2 They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth. 3 They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. 4 We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. 5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name; 7 for they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his homeland. 8 Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. 9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake. 10 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. 11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you; by the strength of your arm preserve those condemned to die. 12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord.

Revelation 11:2 (NIV) But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

Daniel 11:41 (NIV) He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.

Daniel 11:45 (NIV) He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

Revelation 13:5-6 (NIV) The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

Daniel 8:11-12 (NIV) It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. 12 Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.

Daniel 7:25 (NIV) He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Daniel 12:11 (NIV) "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

The Jewish people have always looked for miraculous signs, the Gentiles have always looked for logic and wisdom to prove that Jesus is the Messiah. The Gentiles have been given the most perfect logic system and the greatest wisdom ever in proving that Jesus is the Messiah. From mid-Tribulation forward, the Jews will get the miraculous signs.

1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NIV) Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

John 4:48 (NIV) "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

Acts 2:17-21 (NIV) "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

In God's perfect order of things, the Gospel started in Jerusalem with the Jews, then traveled the whole world for 2,000 years. Jesus will finish the Gospel message in Jerusalem with the Jewish people right back where He started. The Gospel will have made a perfect and complete circle. The order of God is truly magnificent.

Luke 24:46-47 (NIV) He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

When 144,000 Jews are saved, the wrath of God will start.

Revelation 7:1-4 (NIV) After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

It is the persecution of the saints that will incite God to wrath.

Exodus 3:7-9 (NIV) The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey--the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.